Role of Oxidative Stress and Reduced Endogenous Hydrogen Sulfide in Diabetic Nephropathy

Abstract

Purpose

Persistent hyperglycemia lead towards depletion of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) resulting in generation of oxidative stress and diabetic nephropathy. The aim of the current study was to explore the antioxidant potential of H₂S and captopril, a -SH containing compound in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic nephropathy.

Methods

Fifty four Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats male (200–250g) were divided into nine groups (n=6) with each group injected once with STZ (60mg/kg i.p) except normal control. After 3 weeks of induction of diabetes, groups were assigned as normal control, diabetic control, diabetic-captopril, diabetic-NaHS, diabetic-captopril-NaHS, diabetic-spironolactone, diabetic-metformin, diabetic-metformin-NaHS and diabetic-vitamin-c. All the animals were served with normal saline (N/S 4mL/kg p.o), captopril (50mg/kg/day p.o), sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) (56µmol/kg i.p), spironolactone (50mg/kg/day s.c), metformin (500mg/kg/day p.o) and vitamin-c (50mg/kg p.o) on daily basis for next 4 weeks, respectively. Metabolic studies, H₂S levels, renal hemodynamics and oxidative stress markers were analyzed at 0, 14 and 28 days followed by histopathological analysis of renal tissues.

Results

The results showed decreased H₂S levels, body weight, sodium to potassium ratio, glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant assay (T-AOC) with malondialdehyde (MDA) and blood glucose levels significantly increased among diabetic rats. Treatment with captopril, NaHS, metformin, spironolactone and vitamin C showed significant improvement among renal hemodynamics and oxidative stress markers, respectively. But treatment groups like NaHS in combination with captopril and metformin showed more pronounced effects.

Conclusion

The observations suggest that H₂S mediated protective effects on STZ-induced diabetic nephropathy may be associated with reduced oxidative stress via augmenting the antioxidant effect.

Keywords:

• captopril
• diabetic nephropathy
• oxidative stress
• renal tissue
• streptozotocin
• sodium hydrosulfide

Acknowledgments

Authors would like to thank the Department of Pharmacology, the Islamia University of Bahawalpur for laboratory access and uninterrupted research facilities.

Provision of Data

All the data relevant to the study is provided within the manuscript.

Author’s Consent

All authors consented to publish this study in a reputable journal.

Author Contributions

All authors made substantial contributions to conception and design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data; took part in drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content; agreed to submit to the current journal; gave final approval of the version to be published; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors declare no conflict of interest.